Planning Newsletter

If you would like to receive our regular Newsletter, which includes details of the preparation of the LDP please email the policy team at development.plan@eastdunbarton.gov.uk or call 0300 123 4510.

Issue 75 - January 2024

Consultation to help prepare the way for new LDP ends soon
Time is running out for residents, businesses and organisations to help guide early work on East Dunbartonshire's next Local Development Plan. An online survey is live until the end of January and drop-in events have been taking place in local communities since November (there’s still time to catch the Milngavie drop-in session on Monday 15th January from 5pm to 8pm in Milngavie Community Library & Education Centre).

A public information session is taking place online from 5-6pm on Thursday 18 January. Please register in advance to receive a link by emailing development.plan@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

As well as the drop-in sessions which have been taking place across East Dunbartonshire, an in-person workshop is being held in Kirkintilloch Town Hall on Tuesday 23 January (1.30-3.30pm). It's an opportunity to engage on detailed evidence – potentially involving members of the public, key agencies, community organisations, business groups, landowners and the development industry. Email development.plan@eastdunbarton.gov.uk for more info.

All feedback received will be used to help create an Evidence Report for the Council's Local Development Plan 3 (LDP3). An LDP sets out a long-term vision for where development should and should not happen. The Evidence Report will focus on the broad concepts which will shape the plan and not, at this stage, the merits of individual sites.

Key issues include:

• Biodiversity, natural places and trees
• Brownfield and vacant/derelict land
• Climate change, mitigation and adaptation
• Good design and places
• Flood risk and water management
• Housing (including affordable housing)
• Infrastructure and local neighbourhoods
• Retail and town centres
• Sustainable transport.

Visit the Local Development Plan 3 – Evidence Gathering – Consultation webpage for information and to fill in the online survey. The closing date for responses/comments is 31 January 2024.

Councillor Gordan Low, Leader of East Dunbartonshire Council, said, "Thanks to all who are taking the time to fill in the survey, attend drop-in sessions and contact us directly.

"Please take part if you can. Your feedback will help to shape the new Local Development Plan – a vital document which will help to determine how land is used for years to come."

Postal correspondence can be sent to: Land Planning Policy, Southbank House, 1 Strathkelvin Place, Kirkintilloch G66 1XQ. You can also email development.plan@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Visit the Local Development Plan 3 – Evidence Gathering – Consultation and Local Development Plan – FAQs.

The current Local Development Plan (LDP2) will remain in place until the new plan is fully approved (expected 2028).

The results of two monitoring exercises that are undertaken on an annual basis to inform the preparation of the Local Development Plan and to support the development planning process were published in January 2024.

Vacant & Derelict Land Survey 2023

The Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey (SVDLS) is an annual survey undertaken to establish the extent and state of vacant and derelict land in Scotland and the amount of land that has been reclaimed. The main purpose of the SVDLS is to provide an official and high-quality national data source to inform the programming of rehabilitation, planning and reuse of urban vacant and derelict sites.

The latest vacant and derelict land data for East Dunbartonshire was gathered in April 2023 using the survey base date of 31 March, submitted to Scottish Government statisticians in October 2023 for checks and validated by them in November 2023.

Twenty sites were identified by the survey, of which 12 were derelict, comprising ≈60 hectares of land and 8 were vacant, comprising ≈15 hectares of land. The total area of vacant and derelict land increased by around 2 hectares between 2022 and 2023, however, this was as a result of remeasurements having been made for certain sites. The total area of vacant and derelict land in East Dunbartonshire has decreased by 2.3% since 2016.

The findings of the survey will inform the Evidence Report for Local Development Plan 3.

Further information about the 2023 Vacant & Derelict Land Survey including key findings and site schedules can be seen on an interactive StoryMap.

Housing Land Audit 2023

The Housing Land Audit 2023 is an assessment of the housing land supply available in the East Dunbartonshire Council area as at 31st March 2023. The audit identifies and provides a programme of expected housing delivery over an initial seven-year period and the years thereafter.

A programmed supply of 1247 housing units with 1192 units on allocated housing sites are identified for delivery in the seven year period starting at the date of the audit (April 1 2023 - 31st March 2030). An approximately 3:2 split between private market housing and affordable housing has been identified.

Further information about the 2023 Housing Land Audit including programming statistics and past completions data can be seen on an interactive StoryMap.

The Antonine Wall was designated as a World Heritage Site in July 2008, becoming an extension of the trans-national ‘Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Site’ which includes Hadrian’s Wall in England and the German Limes. A section of the Wall is located in East Dunbartonshire and includes features such as Bar Hill Fort in Twechar and Bearsden Bath House.

Frontiers of the Roman Empire (Antonine Wall) World Heritage Site Supplementary Guidance (SG) was adopted in 2011 to provide detail to support the implementation of Local Development Plan (LDP1) historic environment policy. The Land Planning Policy team has undertaken work to update that guidance to reflect changes in Historic Environment Scotland (HES) policy and to otherwise produce a more up to date document that takes into account the latest information and stakeholder views with respect to the protection of the Wall.

Draft updated guidance was subject to public consultation during early 2022. The recommendations set out in representations received from the Scottish Government, NatureScot and HES were addressed in amended guidance. At its meeting on 07 June 2022, East Dunbartonshire Council’s Place, Neighbourhood and Corporate Assets Committee remitted officers to send the approved amended guidance and the report of consultation to Scottish Ministers for consideration prior to formal adoption in connection with Local Development Plan 2, and that officers could proceed with design work and publication of the adopted guidance.

Formally adopted by the Council in January 2024 following approval by Scottish Ministers, the updated guidance provides advice for developers, decision makers and the public on managing the impact of development on the Frontiers of the Roman Empire (Antonine Wall) World Heritage Site (FRE(AW)WHS) and its setting. The guidance, which now forms part of the suite of documents to support Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2) implementation, will be a material consideration in the assessment and determination of planning applications affecting the Antonine Wall and its setting.

The document can be viewed on the Council’s Planning Guidance webpage.

Free Climate Emergency Training will be taking place in January and February 2024, to help people in East Dunbartonshire learn what the Climate Emergency means for local communities, and find out how they can take positive action.

The training is delivered by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful has been designed in partnership with East Dunbartonshire Council and East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action. It is fully funded by the UK Government through the Shared Prosperity Fund.

As this training is accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project, participants will have the opportunity to be certified as Carbon Literate. The Accredited Training will take place in-person at venues across East Dunbartonshire, with the first full session on 25 January. There will also be an online Introductory Session available on 23 January for people wanting to find out more in just 60 minutes.

The sessions are as follows:

Who is the training for?

The training is open to anyone who lives, works or spends time in East Dunbartonshire, or who are involved with community organisations and groups. People involved in the following organisations may find it particularly useful:

• Community Councils
• Community Development Trusts
• Community Interest Companies
• Co-operatives
• Voluntary associations and charitable organisations
• Climate action and sustainability groups.

Why should I take this training?

• Understand how your community and homelife will be impacted by climate change - in terms of physical impacts and new regulations and expectations, as Scotland moves to a low carbon future
• It’s relevant to East Dunbartonshire through local case studies and examples sourced by East Dunbartonshire Council, East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action and Keep Scotland Beautiful.
• Understand the science of climate change
• Understand the meaning of terms like 'Climate Emergency', ‘global warming’, ‘climate change’ ‘net zero’ and ‘carbon footprint’
• Get Carbon Literate - identify greenhouse gas emissions of your activities, and practical actions you can take to reduce them
• Future-proof your community and homelife as far as possible
• Learn about co-benefits of climate action, such as improved resilience to extreme weather, reduced costs and improved environmental quality.

How to register

Please contact the following address to secure your place: cels@keepscotlandbeautiful.org

If you have any general comments or enquiries, please email: sustainability@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Community organisations are being encouraged by East Dunbartonshire Council to highlight issues, ideas and aspirations by creating Local Place Plans.

Changes have been made in Scotland to strengthen links between citizens and the planning system.

Local Place Plans (LPPs) can:

• Identify local land use issues and priorities for change
• Influence the Local Development Plan
• Take forward community projects
• Bring together community groups to deliver a shared vision.

Registered LPPs will inform the Local Development Plan – which sets out a long-term vision for where development should and should not happen.

If you want to find out more about creating an LPP, visit the webpage.

To ensure that any LPPs can be properly aligned with the forthcoming Proposed Local Development Plan 3, we would request that any expressions of interest are received by 31 January 2024. Completed LPPs must be submitted to the Council by June 2025.

Matters which can be addressed in LPPs include:

• Sites for housing (including affordable housing), new or retained local employment and new tourism/community facilities
• Sites which support climate change adaptation, such as renewable energy or flood mitigation
• Improvements in town/neighbourhood centres
• Active travel and sustainable transport
• Retaining, improving and expanding quality open space, community food growing areas and children’s play facilities
• Conservation of the natural/built environment
• Protection of valuable local assets.

Visit the LPP webpage and visit the LPP FAQs webpage for more information.

Email:

Development.plan@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Postal Address:

Land Planning Policy
East Dunbartonshire Council
Southbank House
Strathkelvin Place
Kirkintilloch
G66 1XQ

Telephone (Council Customer Services): 0300 123 4510

The Council has a separate privacy notice for both Land Planning Policy (Planning) and Land Planning Policy (Transport and Economic Development Policy) which can be found on the main ‘Privacy Notices’ section of the Council website.